Joseph ridge



(No Model.)

J. RIDGE.

GASTER. No. 418,928. Patented Jan.7,1890.

Invenif' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH RIDGE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALBERT RANSOM, OF SAME PLACE.

CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,928, dated January '7, 1890.

Application filed November 13, 1888. Serial No. 290,745. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.- The wheel C is provided 011 its periphery and Be it known that I, JOSEPH RIDGE, of the transversely with grooves or channels a at city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of suitable or desirable intervals. The bearings Illinois, have invented new and useful Imin the extensions of parts A for axle a of 5 provements in Casters, of which the following the wheel are horizontally elongated. Be-

is a full and complete description, reference tween the two extensions within which the being had to the accompanying drawings. wheel rotates is provided a tongue (Z.

The purpose of my invention is to provide As shown in Fig. 2, the wheel-axle is in the against swerving from the direction in which outer portion of its elongated bearing, which IO the force is applied in moving furniture or is the condition when the wheel is moving in articles supported upon casters. As heretorear of the shank, the wheel at such time before constructed the wheel of a caster will roing free from the tongue (1. If, however, when tate either way upon its axle. Thus, notwithforce is applied to move the furniture, the standing the crank character of the caster, wheel should be in such position as to precede [5 resnltingfrom thediiferenceinvertical planes the shank,the relative position of the axle between the axis of the wheel and the aXis of with its bearings is changed. The wheel is the shank, the tendency isfor the wheel to therebyforced back until the tongue (1 e11- move some distance preceding the shank begages with grooves 11., thus locking the wheel fore the revolution takes place that brings and causing at once a pivotal movement that 20 the wheel in the rear. The result of this is brings the wheel to the rear. I have shown that the furniture does not at once respond in this example one method of accomplishing to the direction in which the force is applied, the desired result, which I consider preferthereby frequently causing collisions with able in the matter of cost. It may, however, other articles of furniture, and in any event be accomplished in numerous ways. The 2 5 causes an unsatisfactory result. To obviate shank or that portion directly upon which is this I have provided for locking the casterseated the furniture-leg may be constructed wheel when its position is such that if perin any of the usual forms or any desirable. mitted to rotate it would precede the shank. form. This causes a revolution at once, or nearly so, Having thus fully described my said inven- 30 when force is applied, whereby the wheel is tion, what I claim, and desire to secure by brought in rear of the shank and each caster Letters Patent, isof the set thus brought. into the same relative In a f urniture-caster, the combination, with position. Further force applied resultsin the the body of the caster having horizontallyarticle being moved in obedience to the dielongated axle-bearings and a tongue or de- 3 5 rection of such force. tent, of a wheel provided with grooves or For a more definite description reference channels at suitable intervals, and having an is had to the accompanying drawings, whereaxle to engage said axle-bearings, whereby 1 the wheel is permitted to move to and fro in Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a versaid bearings, so that one of said transverse 4o tical section. Fig. 8 is a plan view, and Fig. grooves or channels is engaged on said tongue 4 is a vertical section differing from Fig. 2 in or detent, thus locking the wheel, substanthe relative position of the wheel. tially as described.

A re resents the body of the caster, in which is pivdlally seated the shank of spindle B, JOSEPH RIDGE 45 having a pin 1) between the upper and lower \Vitnesses:

portions of part A to keep it in position. The WM. RHEEM, upper end of shank B extends into leg D. JAS. R. ANDRAWS. 

